Kwankwasiyya Questions Proposed ₦55bn Kano LG Loan

The Kwankwasiyya Movement has questioned the Kano State Government’s reported plan to involve the 44 local government councils in a proposed ₦55 billion loan, demanding explanations on the purpose of the borrowing, project costs and repayment arrangements.

The movement’s spokesperson, Dr Habibu Sale Mohammed, raised the concerns in a statement issued on Sunday, October 18, 2026, saying each council could be required to take on a financial obligation of about ₦1.3 billion.

According to the statement, the funds would reportedly be used to establish Computer-Based Testing (CBT) centres, execute an unspecified project and finance an empowerment programme.

While acknowledging the importance of educational infrastructure and economic empowerment, the movement questioned why local governments should incur substantial debts for projects reportedly to be administered by the state government.

“Our fundamental question is: Why should the 44 Local Government Councils be compelled to assume substantial debt obligations for projects reportedly to be administered by the State Government?” the statement queried.

The movement also demanded an explanation for the timing of the proposed borrowing, asking the government to demonstrate why the projects could not be funded through existing budgetary provisions and available public revenue.

It said the approaching electoral cycle made transparency and safeguards necessary to ensure that the funds were used exclusively for approved public projects.

“We are not alleging that the proposed loan is intended to finance an election,” the statement clarified, adding that “public borrowing must be driven by demonstrable development needs, not electoral considerations or political convenience.”

The group said the reported breakdown included about ₦632.57 million per council for a CBT centre, ₦500 million for an unspecified project and ₦117.41 million for an empowerment programme.

It called for details of the projects, including the locations of the CBT centres, feasibility studies, cost assessments and the criteria for selecting beneficiaries of the empowerment initiative.

The movement also demanded an account of funds reportedly contributed or released by local government councils to the state government under a previous joint empowerment programme, particularly the monthly women’s empowerment initiative.

It asked the government to disclose the total amount received from the councils, the amount disbursed to beneficiaries, administrative expenses and any remaining balance.

The statement further questioned why the programme reportedly operated for fewer than 10 months despite expectations of its continuation.

“Before the councils are asked to incur fresh debts for another empowerment programme, the government must account for the previous funds and explain the status of the initiative,” it said.

The movement also urged the Kano State House of Assembly to clarify whether it had formally approved or authorised the proposed arrangement and publish the relevant legislative resolution and supporting documents.

It appealed to the commercial bank reportedly considering the facility to verify the borrowing authority of each council, the legality of the proposed security arrangements, repayment capacity and the intended use of the funds.

The statement said the bank should ensure that the transaction complied with applicable laws and had safeguards against diversion of public funds.

Citing the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment on local government financial autonomy, the movement called for an independent legal assessment to determine whether the proposed arrangement complied with the Constitution, applicable laws and public borrowing regulations.

It warned that local government chairmen should not be reduced to signing financial obligations for projects whose proceeds they do not control, particularly if repayments could undermine their ability to provide essential services.

“The people of Kano State deserve to know why their Local Government Councils are being asked to assume substantial debts, who will control the proceeds, what benefits the projects will deliver and how the obligations will be repaid,” the statement said.